I came home to this incredible painting by @amystoneart (titled “This Girl’s on Fire”) and news that a piece of my fiction (!!) has been published as part of an anthology of New York’s Emerging Writers. So I guess that makes me an official New Yorker (!?). My story, titled “Along the Chattooga” (the anthology is temporarily linked for purchase in my bio) is a shout-out to my home state pre-expatriation.💙The book will be available on @amazon within the next week. (I’ll post an update!)

This girl made the biggest and best decision of her life today! SHE ACCEPTED JESUS! As we sat in my car and talked about what it means to be a disciple for Christ an overwhelming peace flooded the both of us! She then prayed the most beautiful prayer I’ve ever heard -asking the Lord to come into her heart! 😭
I’m so undone by Jesus and His faithfulness to pursue us each. His timing for each and everything is so incredible!
@_dee.andra_ I absolutely adore you!Your heart is so genuine and beautiful! When the Lord pointed you out to me at the basketball game almost 6 months ago I knew He had big plans for you! So proud of you! And sooo exited to see the exciting journey the Lord has for you! #flocatiousbtown

I LOVE STRIPES! I didn’t realize it until I was packing and saw 5 striped dresses in the mix. I think I may have an obsession on my hands🤣 What is your favorite pattern to wear? Mine is a tie between stripes and floral print!

Want to escape to Paris for a moment? I’m bubbling with excitement to show you my very first travel vlog. Last month I flew to France to explore Paris on a bicycle, attend Haute Couture week, visit the French countryside and roam the fields and gardens where @YvesRochercanada @yvesrocherfr botanical ingredients are sourced and farmed. It’s a two part series—it’s real, it’s funny and it’s honest—and it’s edited entirely by me (eep!). A huge thanks to Ingrid @mizmonday for your beautiful footage — I couldn’t have created this story without you. 💗 Link in my bio or YouTube.com/livjudd

Because today I needed space to just be.
I needed time to lean into different emotions and reactions that have been coming to surface.
I journaled like crazy, received reiki, listened to sound bowls and meditated in the shade.
Today felt really good and I’m thankful for the opportunity to always show up for myself. I’m thankful for the love that I continually learn to pour into myself.
#thankyoumoreplease

Fun fact- no one talks about how hard it is to get the perfect bathtub shot without flashing all your bits. In lieu of an insta husband my little sister got roped into this shoot, after knowing each other for 17+ years and witnessing her nude escape attempts from bath time at age 5 it feels like we’ve come full circle. Once all was said and done I was able to properly soak in some dreamy @cowshed products. The castles we’ve been touring are just magical but they also come with many many stairs. Hope you dolls had a lovely day! #nationalrelaxationday

I may not be active as much as I’d like #life but I’m still makin’ away! Made this cute little romper for my friend @paisleyskyephotography! Her little one is growing like a watermelon in her belly and what better gift that this oh so adorable little thing?! I also made one for my future little one and hope to start making others like it for when God decides to bless me with a perfect little miracle 💕

What’s a mom’s favourite reward after a long day at the beach? A glass of cold @yellowtailcanada Chardonnay! There’s no better way to end an action-packed day of chasing the kids around the lake, building sandcastles and playing in the waves than a moment to sit and relax. #iearnedit#enjoyresponsibly [ad]

Have you ever purposely gone swimming with sharks? Literally not figuratively. 😂 I’m glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone but it was kinda scary. Would I do it again? Click on the link in my bio to see. 🦈

Eight months (and two days). I’m a little late this month because we’ve been having the best time visiting our family in Michigan! I actually took these the day before we left because I knew we’d be gone when our little guy turned eight months, but then completely forgot to post it! Whoops! 🤦🏽‍♀️⠀
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These months sure are flying by my little love. The days of sitting you down so I can run to do something real quick are long gone because you are on the move! You actually started crawling the day you turned seven months old, but now you’re getting real quick! ⠀
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You follow us everywhere and definitely don’t like to be left behind! We need to baby proof because you’re into everything now! I love watching you explore and experience things for the first time 😍⠀
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We made our first trip to Michigan. It’s your first long road trip, and we had a big caravan with your cousins up here. You were such a good sport! You slept a lot of the trip and screamed your head off a lot of it too! You got to see the Great Lakes and loved splashing around in them! We sat you down in the sand and you really enjoyed crawling around, feeling the sand in your toes and trying to pick it up with your hands. ⠀
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You said “mama” for the first time this month.... only two or three times, and now I can’t get you to say it again! You smile when we say “baba” or “dada” or “mama”. When you get upset you talk real loud and say “mmmmm” or “nnnnnn” like you’re calling me. When I get home from work to crawl to the door to get me and look up at me with the biggest smile, and it completely melts my heart. You also got your first two teeth this month (the bottom front two), and let me tell you... they are the cutest teeth I’ve ever seen! You have the sweetest smile and giggles and also have a pretty grumpy look that you flash when you’re tired. You’re pulling yourself up on us while we’re sitting on the couch or in bed, but not on the floor by yourself yet. It’s getting more and more challenging to change your diaper now because you’re so curious and love being on the move! ⠀
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Continued in the comments...

“The times are never so bad but that a good man can live in them.” -St. Thomas More
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This weekend at a college alumni event bottles of wine were uncorked, philosophical debates ensued, and that familar wave of humility washed over me as I listened to two of my professors speak eloquently on the demise of Liberalism and Christianity, a topic that would normally leave even the most joyful person wanting to slit their wrists. Yet somehow it left me hopeful. Why? The takeaway for me was this: Empires rise and fall, but there is always room for good men, moral men. Moral beauty is a light that can never be dimished and which shines brightest in the darkest of times. Although the world may try to convince you that you're alone and mold you into a nihilist, do not let the darkness ensue you and do not let despair become you. People will betray you. They will disappoint you. Life will not unfold as it was supposed to, but there is always hope. A hope that is so much bigger then these insignificant scenarios that happen within the spec of time we spend on this earth. Hope rests in the eternal and in the things which confound this world. The moral character is a reminder of this.
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So, as you pop your own bottle of wine tonight I leave you with a simple yet poignant question that my professor left me with..."In light of these uncertain times that we are facing, what are you doing and reading to remind yourself of hope and of moral beauty?"
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To good wine, good people, and good discussions! 😊🥂

More evenings like this please 🌻 Today’s been a bit of a whirlwind - woke up to no water, got that fixed only to come home and find that the pipes under the sink were leaking. One emergency plumbing bill later and (touch wood) I have fully functioning running water again 🙈 Throwback to this beautiful, and much less stressful, summer’s evening a few weeks ago ☀️
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#lbloggers#lakedistrict#thehappynow

Today we are celebrating my youngest’s 2nd Birthday! Crazy how time flies with little ones! 😭😍 He has been a mama’s boy from day one and I hope that doesn’t change for a very long time! 💕 “The days are long, but the years are short!” I try to remind myself of this when the days seem hard and exhausting, especially with two small boys running around! But it is a bittersweet reminder when these birthdays and holidays come flying by and I just wish time would slow down.
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What are some birthday traditions you have with your kids? We always do balloons in their room or bed on their birthday morning. But I want to start more birthday traditions as they get older to make their day extra special!!

We’ve finally got to the point in our house renovation where we get to have a little bit of fun, about a hundred Pinterest Boards later we’ve finally chosen a shade of grey for the main living area. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

A whole lot of not-much happening around here these days. Mainly just me staying close to home no matter how good I feel, sleeping as late as I can no matter what time it is, and checking and re-checking hospital bags, baby’s room, stockpiled food + home supplies 😅 it’s a rather robust existence, let me tell you.
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Granted, I do spend a lot of time sitting or resting or sleeping which feels more productive than ever before! Small wins, you guys. •
I could choose to get really overwhelmed by how this season is so unique; that it’s “the final calm before the storm”; how next time (allowing there is one) that I’m this pregnant I’ll also have a small child to care for + thus a lesser chance at peace.
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But, I’m not falling for it. •
I’m not giving into the voice inside my head that says, “hmm, maybe we should worry about some stuff”. Not today, anyway. Instead I’m concentrated on “whatever is true” ...a little snippet of a verse that helps me when my mind wants to fixate on all that could be. It draws me back to what IS; reminds me that all I can ever know is what is, in this moment. I ask myself, what is true? And then I think about that. Not, what might happen? Not anything that begins with, what if I...? Only just what IS.
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That is the truth that sets me free; today and all the days I have the presence of mind, by grace, to believe in it. ✨

When I was in worship school, I learned how prophets would grow out their hair (nazirite vow for my fellow nerds) and it was a symbol to the people when they saw these long-haired dudes that God was speaking again. Seeing long hair gave them hope.
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The other day I wanted to go on a bike ride and I was scared to go by myself in light of all of the craziness that’s been happening. As I was riding I thought about the lady who used to see us on our bikes all the time and tell us how proud she was of us. She said we were helping people believe that downtown was safe (don’t stone me 😂) It’s so crazy how something so simple like long hair and bicycles can stir up hope. Don’t underestimate the little things.That’s all I wanted to share 😌

We were shooting this morning when these young women came storming down the beach. It was so refreshing to see them so proud of their athleticism. They had no phones, there was no posing, it was just a group of friends going surfing.

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White chocolate loaf cake with passionfruit drizzle 💛🍰
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The latest Rosie Makes on the blog is this tropical flavoured cake, perfect for brightening a grey, late Summer day like today. Link in profile ☔️

Today I had an impromptu day of self care. I started, like the tosser I am, with yoga and I could've gone back to my desk, like I normally do when Anaïs is at nursery.
But I fancied a walk.....4 hours later I came home. ♥️ What rebellious little act of self care did you manage today?

Tuesday was definitely better than Monday. A chilled morning for me and then an afternoon out with the Mother exploring Lavenham. Eating cake and drinking tea! (Mum definitely loved going back to her roots and being a photographer for the afternoon again.. I’m sure of it 🤷🏼‍♀️ she’s hired now anyway) ——————
How have you spent your Tuesday?